Get on with it

There are just a few months to go before the election campaigning will begin in earnest. One problem for the Conservatives is pointing to a legacy from their 14 years in office. The Government needs to do something beneficial beyond the Budget tax changes, which seem to have had little impact so far on the polls.

One idea is put forward today by Robert Jenrick, until recently a member of the Cabinet. He says EU planning rules obstructing the building of new homes could be removed. These so-called “nutrient neutrality” regulations restrict where houses can be built.

The Government said it would scrap them under the freedoms provided by leaving the EU, but was defeated in the House of Lords. However, rather than take on the peers, No10 abandoned the idea, saying there was not enough parliamentary time to bring it to fruition before the election.

Mr Jenrick begs to differ. He has organised a group of former ministers to call on the Prime Minister to try again. Apart from the Finance Bill, there is little major legislation in the Commons and time is available if the political will exists. Mr Jenrick believes Parliament is often dormant and time wasted on general debates could be used to get a six-clause Bill through to remove the roadblock. Campaigners say it would unlock permissions for 150,000 new homes and has almost unanimous support on the Tory benches.

Mr Jenrick says this measure can create jobs now and would show voters the Government is serious about building new homes, especially for the thousands of young people frozen out of the market. He is right. The Government should take up this Bill and get on with it.